Options on table for new calendar

BERRYVILLE — Two options for the 2013-14 school calendar are on the table in Clarke County.

The topic was discussed at a School Board meeting Monday night at Clarke County High School.

In the first and more traditional calendar option, school would start Aug. 19 and end June 10. Spring break would be a week long, Thanksgiving break would run from Wednesday to Friday, and Christmas would last eight school days. That mirrors the current year’s calendar, which began Aug. 21 and ends June 12.

Clarke County High School graduation would be held on Thursday, June 5, 2014. Graduation this year will be Sunday, June 9.

In the second option, school would start Aug. 12. — the same day as the Clarke County Ruritan Fair — and end May 30. Spring break would be three days long, Thanksgiving would run from Wednesday to Friday, and Christmas would last 10 days.

The high school graduation ceremony would be held Thursday, May 29, 2014.

The second option mirrors the new calendar that Winchester Public Schools adopted this month for 2014-15. The calendar, according to officials, ends the semester before Christmas break and allows more continuity in instruction.

Murphy said mirroring Winchester would make it easier because the divisions share some programs, such as the Northwestern Regional Education Program.

Officials have already polled staff, who have showed a preponderance of support for the first option.

“Our reality is the Clarke County Fair,” Murphy said. “It’s challenging to work around it.”

Janet Creager Alger said she has heard complaints in the past that even starting the week after the fair was too soon.

“It’s too close, and kids don’t have time to recover,” she said.

Members of the public, including school staff, may send written comments to calendar@clarke.k12.va.us.

Comments will be shared with the School Board prior to calendar adoption, which will likely occur in March.

The board also approved the invitation for bids for the replacement of the Berryville Primary steps, which were condemned in August 2012.

“These steps are long overdue,” said member Jim Brinkmeier.

The project will cost between $35,000 and $40,000. The steps would only serve as a short-term fix until something more permanent is added.

Present at the meeting were Chairwoman Beth Leffel and members Jim Brinkmeier, Janet Creager Alger, Chip Schutte and Barbara Lee.

— Contact Rebecca Layne at rlayne@winchesterstar.com